Cartridge separating device for pneumatic tube plants



Sept. 15, 1931. H MARBURG CARTRIDGE SEPARATING DEVICE FOR PNEUMATIC TUBE PLANTS Filed Nov. 19, 1929 [)2 Vania? Patented Sept. 15, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE HANS MARBURG, OF BERLIN-HALENSE-E,

GER-MANY, ASSIGNOR T'O TELEPHOILAP- IPARATE FABRIK E. ZWIETUSCH & 00., G. M. B. 11., OF BEELIN-GHARLO'ITENBUBG,

GERMANY, A CORPORATION CARTRIDGE SEPARATING DEVICE FOR PNEUMATIC TUBE PLANTS Application filed November 19, 1929, Serial No.

This invention relates to a cartridge separating device for pneumatic tube plants and is intended for automatically regulating the travelling distance between cartridges following closely the one behind the other.

In the known cartridge separating devices of this type the arrested cartridges cannot be locked for any desired length of time, as the release of the locking is effected each time mechanically or pneumatically shortly after the passing of a cartridge. Consequently the cartridges are only separated the one from the other by a comparatively short distance whereby, owing to the unequal loading or wear of the running cases, it is possible that the cartridges catch up or pass oyer the same switch although a different switching was intended for the second, following cartridge.

Further in the known retaining devices each cartridge has to operate levers for locking the cartridge directly following which levers, owing to their mechanical cooperation with the actual locking elements, exert a checking effect on the running of the cartridges so that, for example upon the restarting of the blower, the cartridges, situated shortly before this separating device, have not yet the necessary speed, for actuating an according lever mechanism, and consequently a jamming of these cart-ridges may easily occur.

These defects connected with the known retaining devices working with mechanical or pneumatic control are absolutely overcome by the present invention in the most simple manner in that an electromagnetically operating' locking device is used for regulating the travelling distance between a number of 40 cartridges arrivin at the same time. Such an arrangement offers very considerable advantages over the known arrangements in that the force required for stopping the fol lowing cartridge is not applied through a lever mechanism by the cartridge itself, but

408,297, and in Germany November 24, 1928.

ing of the separating device seen from the side, the device being in position of rest.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section seen from the front of the housing of the separating device, showing the lateral arrangement of the magnet and also of the contacts controlled by the contact lever.

Fig. 3 shows the separating device in side elevation and indicates the current flow necessary for actuating the device.

Fig. 4 shows a modified form of construction of the separating device in longitudinal section, a contact segment atthe same time constructed as locking element, being in the position of rest.

Fig. 5 1s a similar view to Fig. 4;, showing the locking position of the contact segment.

Fig. 6 is a similar View to Figs. 4 and 5,

showing the release or further swinging out of the contact segment, so that the first cartridge is released and at the same time the next following cartridge is locked.

A housing 1 arranged at the side ofthe tube 2 accommodates a control element 8 mounted on an axle 6 and controlling, by means of a projection 7 and a spring 5 a locking fork 4 loosely mounted on the axle 6 and adapted to project through a slot 8 of the tube 2. On the outer end of the journalled axle 6, outside the housing 1,'a lever arm 18 is fixed adapted to cooperate with an electro-magnet 12. This lever 13 controls by means of a laterally projecting arm 13 a retaining contact 0, and is returned into its inoperative position up to a stop 17 by a spring 16. In the lower part of the housing 1 a contact lever 10 v is mounted on a rotatable shaft 11, said lever projecting through a guide slot 9, and it is held in its operative position by a spring 15. A cam 14 which controls contacts a and b is mounted on the rotatable shaft 11 on the outer side of the housing 1.

The above described cartridge separating device (Figs. 1 to 3) is intended to allow the first of a number of cartridges arriving to travel on unimpeded and to retain electromagnetically the following cartridges until these are released singly at intervals for. continuing their travel. According to the invention this is effected in that the cartridge travelling in the direction of the arrow depresses; thesoon-tact'. :lever so. .that it oscillates out of the path. At the same time the cam 14 is rotated, and the contacts a, b are closed so that current is sent to' the mag-- net 12. The control element 3 is thereby oscillatedthrough' the" lever 13 and the shaft 6 .and .w.ith the same the. locking fork-4, resiliently connected. with. the control. element .3,is oscillatedso that it projects through the slot 8 into the tubeand arrests the following cartridges. .The contact lever' 10 is returned into its inoperative position by the spring 15, the contact at a, b :being broken at the same time, whereas the. electro-magnet 12 remains excited:overfthecontact 0 until the first car tridge cuts the current ofi' from the magnet 12 after accertain predetermined time by actuating .a second con-tact f in the tube, or any other suitable controlling means, where- .by the lockingof the next following cartridge is removed. This cartridge then-.again controls the contact arm. 10 and the locking operation:-.above described repeats itself with the followingcartridges. I

It is evident thatalso in the locking device :above described all cartridges arriving sinr lyiatce'rtain time intervalscan pass directly through-the separating device.

The cartridge separating device shown diagrammatically in Figs. st to .6 is. intended to first-lock. each cartridge and then .to release the same singlyafter a certain predetermined time. With this object in view a. housing 18 is mounted on thetube-19. An oscillating lever-.20 mounted on a rotatable shatt121 is located. in said housing saidlever being resiliently connected by means otaspring 22 Land projection22 withalocking. fork 21,. in similar manner as the lever 3 in Figs. Land .2. Below the oscillatable. lever-a contact segment r23v is arranged ona rotatable shaft .23.. rThis-segment has a projection projectinto the tube 19 andadapted to be pushed back into its inoperative stop, position under 1the.action of a spring, not shown. The turning of. the shaft 21 is 'efl'ected in a similar ana-nneras shaft-6 (see Figs-1 to3') by means .ofua magnet, whereas a contact disc, not .shown, is. keyed on the. rotatable shat.-23' :of the'contact segment .23 onthe outer .side

- of the housing 18.

The above described separating device operates in such a manner that the cartridge 25 arriving in the direction of the arrow first turns the contact segment 23 against the stop 20 of the lever 20 which holds the segment in this position. Owing to the turning of the contact segment 23 into the stop;' position (Fig. 5) contacts are operated by a contact disc, not shown, which contacts are necessary for diiicrent switching operations. If the tubesis tree, an electromagnet connected with the shaft 21 is excited and the nextfollowing cartridge 24 stopped. At the same time the stop.l20 of the lever 20 .slidesioifstlie Contact segment 28, which istheninoved onto-of. the path by the departingcartridge'25,tlizisturning movement being again utilized for controll-ing any othercontacts. Hitter the passing of the cartridge the segment 23 returns under'spring action into'its inoperative stop position thereby cutting. the current oil from the magnet. "The cartridge hithertoheldby the locking fork 21 :now slides onto the contact segment23 into the waiting position. and the locking. orrreleasing. above described is repeated in the same :manner for. thefollowing cartridges.

. A contactidiscisaalso fixed-on the shaft 28 of the. contact segment 23,:as shown inFigs. .2.and-3, which disocontrols suitably arranged .95 contacts duringlits' rotation. Thus lforexample during the first-movement or the contact :segment23 .up to the stop.20 the. waiting condition ofa. cartridge is indicated =by.a signal lamp. WV-hen. the-first cartridgeis released or the next follow-ing cartridge locked, another controllingoperation, torexample the indicating of. thedispatch'of the cartridge by means of a. light signal or the operating of a switch-can, be effected by: the "further mics movement-of the contact segment 23 in thedi- V .rection oftravel.

, I claim 1.. An electrically controlled devicefor pneumatic tube plants for regulating the dis- 140 tance; :between the cartridges at any desired point of the-tube, comprising in combination with the cartridges, an .absolutely -automat-ically' operating locking device, adapted to lock said cartridges, contacts, and electro- 1.115 magnets controlling said- .locking device.

2. An electrically controlled device for pneumatic tube plants asspecified in claim 1, comprising in combinationwiththe cartridges, the; locking device and thecontacts r and. magnets, .a lever of-said locking device .adapted to allow. thepassage of the first ot'a plurality of-arriving cartridges, to arrest the following cartridges through the intermedi- .ary of said contactsiand-said magnets, :and to release these arrested cartridges singly at predetermined intervals.

.3. Y electrically controlled 1 device tor pneumatic tube ,.plants as specified incla-im 1, comprising in combination with-the: :car- 1 1 till tridges and the contacts, a locking element in form of a contact segment adapted to control said contacts, to arrest each cartridge as it arrives and to release same for travelling on, at the same time locking the next following cartridge.

4. An electrically controlled device for pneumatic tube plants as specified in claim 1, comprising in combination with the pneu matic tube, the locking device and the contacts and magnets controlling said locking device, a housing communicating With said tube carrying on its outer side said magnets and contacts.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

HANS MARBURG. 

